MYFATHER
Episode 25's
The two reached the ground floor and while walking towards the stairs the woman asked Yudi about her exit with Mirna this afternoon. Yudi replied with enthusiasm, ”It was very nice to see the various shows there. Mirna was happy in that place. Mommy should see her smile as she rides the elephant.”.
”Coming an elephant?” the woman stumbled.
”Not dangerous, really! The elephant raised Mirna to her neck with his trunk and took her around the stage. She became her star tonight,” said Yudi quickly.
”So, huh? Mother, it is difficult to see something interesting from clumped clowns or elephants that line up together. But mommy is happy you guys can pass up a fun time.”
”We had a lot of fun earlier. Thank you for giving me time to go out with him. I even got a doll gift for Mirna from a dart game stand that El.” guarded
Mother Rose's attitude suddenly changed, Yudi felt that way and suddenly realized her stupidity, she might have been wrong to talk about El. The lady responded with perfect composure, ”El is there?”
”Yes, Mother.”
”And what is it doing there?”
”She said she had been in the circus for a long time traveling around town and was happy that they stopped by.”
Mother Rose sighed, ”Working with a circus troupe. Unexpected. The boy was indeed troublesome... exactly his father..Then what are they talking about?”
Yudi replied like that, ”Not much. Just asking each other's news because they seemed to have not seen each other for a long time. El is more interested in talking to me and invites to bet.”
”Betaruh?”
”Betakuh if I can get a good gift for Mirna in the dart shooting stand she guarded.”
”And you get the doll?” Mother Rose smiled. ”You're great.”
”El had asked for your news,” said Yudi.
The woman said doubt, ”He asked that? I didn't expect him to remember his mother.”
”But he remembers. He remembers your hobby of painting.”
Mother Rose was silent as they climbed the stairs, perhaps busy reminiscing about El. Yudi ventured to ask further, ”Mother does not miss meeting El?”
Quickly and surely the woman shook her head, ”No!”
”Why? A child will not forget his mother as a mother cannot forget a child. I'm sure El would like to see you.”
The Mother of Roses replied, ”I do not miss her..” The answer was cold and cruel. Yudi had only heard that kind of tone behind her hospitality and warmth all this time, reminding her of the terrifying aura when the woman caught sight of him in the lower room earlier, as if there were monsters languishing at the bottom of the ocean feeling and waiting for the right moment to chuck out reaching prey.
”When his father took him away.I knew I would never see him again and no matter what. For me he and his father are dead.”
Yudi gulped, ”Sorry if I ask something painful for Mother.”
”It's okay, Jud! Mommy is happy you want to be honest with Mommy.”
”Hopefully Mommy is not angry at Mirna because the meeting was not accidental,” said Yudi prepared to defend the girl.
The woman shook her head, ”No! But please help Mother give understanding to Mirna so that she does not approach El again. Mother knows exactly the nature of El's father and I fear it will be imitated by him. During this time he was taken care of his father, saying the apple fell not far from the tree.”
”Ya, I understand..” said Yudi. He understands the mind of Mother Rose even though he does not fully agree with her. No matter how rude El was, Mirna seemed to need her stepbrother so much, no matter how they were brothers. And brothers should not be separated.
***
”Company me go again yuk today,” take Mirna after Mother Rose leaves the dining room after breakfast. The woman didn't say much this morning. Yudi had thought this breakfast would be a chance to rebuke Mirna about her meeting with El. It turned out that the three of them were just pleasantries about the weather and allowed Mirna with Yudi to see the painting of the Rose Mother which was soon finished.
”You to El place?” guess Yudi.
”Sure! Where else?”
”I think you want to work today. Do you remember you truant yesterday?”
”What's wrong with a temporary permit? I have to accompany you here anyway. Your time left alone with Mother?”
The reason Mirna has a point, ”You've asked for permission from Mommy?”
”What's the matter? Work leave?”
”Not! About to El.” places
Mirna's expression changed, ”Why should I say the same to her?”
”Well, I don't think that's what everyone should do before leaving? Pamit to relatives at home.”
The drastic change was astonishing to Yudi. It feels like just last night the woman insisted that Mirna stay away from El, ”Are you sure? You see, last night I had a chat with Mommy about El.”
Mirna's expression was flat as she sipped her tea, ”Oh, huh? What are you guys chatting?”
”Your mom just found out El worked in that circus. He's not happy you're hanging out with El.”
”Mother has known nothing about El since parting ways with her first husband, who is also El's father. He shuts himself off a lot about it. Surely he also did not ask the news of El or his father.”
”Actually what happened to them?” ask Yudi.
”If you want to know you better accompany me. You can ask directly at El.”
”Why don't you just tell me?”
”And I wasn't born when it happened,” Mirna frowned. ”Where do I know?”
”Yes, deh!” Yudi told himself because it was so stupid not to think about it. And because she did want to know this strange family history she ended up accompanying Mirna to where the circus was. There must be a story he can match from El.
They reached the site of the night market half an hour later. Not much different from the time spent last night. El is cleaning the tarpaulin roll which is his standard dart. Her hair that was thick and bluish painted was left to be rolled onto her shoulders, her bare chest showing dense blackish feathers up to her navel, meanwhile, under the light of the day, Yudi could see the dark shadow of a mustache growing under his lips and along the man's chin. His mouth was suddenly holding back a cigarette he was smoking. He greeted kindly as soon as he saw the two,
”Finally came too.”
”You want to go?” asked Mirna looking at the situation around her who was calm, not showing any busyness.
”Oh, no. I just cleared up my ruined stand last night.”
”What happened last night?” Yudi.
El sneered, ”Sure you don't believe it. After you left suddenly appeared **** goat-sized forest that ran into my stand with its annoying uikan.”
”Gosh!” Yudi surprised. ”You all right?”
”As you can see, I'm fine!” El raised his hand in style. ”It was originally that the beast immediately ran away after making my stand collapse. Visitors ran in fear because they thought there would be a follow-up raid from the entourage *** it.”
”Thank you it's okay,” Mirna said.
”Is such an attack common here?” ask Yudi.
”Your friend is really a city person, huh?” El laughed and looked at Mirna.
Mirna hit Yudi's chest slowly with a tickled giggle, ”We in Kalimantan, Yud! Even though we live in settlements but still surrounded by wild forests. And in the wild forest many wild animals.”
”But usually animals will not attack without reason,” Yudi defend himself.
”If only I could ask him why attack my stand then my situation would be much better..” El commented while tying the folded tarpaulin. ”...that way I will know my mistake and will not repeat it at a later date.”
Mirna chuckles, ”Then we came at a bad time?”
”All the right time for me. Especially to meet you, Mir. Just wait here. I quickly returned,” El lifted the tarpaulin fold on his shoulder and walked towards his trailer train.
In a relaxed atmosphere even the circus troupe still busy themselves with their respective affairs, mostly related to the preparation of attractions themselves. There are those who check the wheels of the mill, feed the animals, practice the trampoline, fix the neon lights of the show tent, and, even smelled the sweet smell of fat being fried from the women who were busy cooking on the train that was used as a public kitchen.
Almost everything in this field is a circus member, there is not a single villager, even children who are usually curious, in that place. Maybe the village men are busy working in the garden or the sawmill near here, while the women and children languish at home, trying not to get too close to the circus troupe that in fact foreigners.
”From the beginning I liked the circus troupe..” comments Mirna. Yudi looked at her and argued that it showed that she was flesh-blooded with El. ”. So exciting, mysterious, and full of new things. Visiting foreign places, meeting new people, doing what they love.”
”It looks fun but realize you these people crave your life.”
”Times anyway?” Mirna laughed amusedly.
”Trust me. Those who live in this life are slowly saturated to visit foreign places and one day they want to have a life where they can settle somewhere and live next there, and then there, have a regular income that never makes them dizzy to think of its origin, and meet faces that they already know well every day.”
”How can you think that when you have never been a member of the circus?”
”I am not a member of the circus but I have experience often visiting new places with many strangers before working at KPC. It makes me feel tired often.”
”Then you also understand the feeling of living life like a frog in a shell, when one never goes anywhere other than in his birthplace.”.
The conversation was halted when El returned, with a brighter face, ”Thank you Mr. Rahyadi had a spare tent. Standard darts will be ready to stand again later in the afternoon and carry out their duties.” rubbed his palms with satisfaction. ”So...would you like to walk around for a while to get acquainted with my friends before lunch on my train?”
”Bby,” sahut Mirna fast. Then he whispered in Yudi's ear. ”I've never seen a near circus troupe outside of show hours.definitely fun..”
Yudi shook his head then smiled amusedly at Mirna's childlike behavior. El looked and said slowly to the two, ”Remember yes, you do not carelessly talk because many circus members are eccentric. They are not approachable and overly sensitive. Only friendly to certain people only.”